Category Archives: Citybeat

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Situation in Sudan’s North Darfur state remains volatile – UN

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 The situation in Sudan’s North Darfur state remains volatile following the Rapid Support Forces’ takeover of El Fasher on Oct. 26, UN humanitarians said.

While major clashes have subsided, sporadic fighting and drone activity continue, leaving civilians vulnerable to looting, forced recruitment and gender-based violence, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.

“Nearly 89,000 people have fled El Fasher and surrounding areas since late October, with many arriving in the locality of Tawila after walking for days under threat of violence,” OCHA said.

Read Also: Severe malnutrition deepens amid ongoing conflict in Sudan – MSF

It added that the United Nations, together with local partners and international non-governmental organisations, is providing them with food, water, sanitation, health care and psychosocial support, though needs continue to outpace resources.

The office said that UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher arrived on Tuesday in Port Sudan, in the country’s far northeast, where he met with authorities, humanitarian partners and the diplomatic community.

Fletcher plans to press for stopping the atrocities in the Kordofan and Darfur regions.

He will also work to back the peace efforts, uphold the UN Charter and push for humanitarian teams to get the access and funding needed to save lives across battle lines.

Humanitarian partners reported that more than 12,000 people have sought refuge in the eastern White Nile state since late October, an average of 700 people each day, OCHA said.

Displaced families face severe shortages of food, shelter and water, while host communities are overstretched trying to accommodate the new arrivals, it noted.

OCHA reiterated that civilians must be protected and that aid workers must be granted safe and sustained access to deliver assistance across the front lines.

(Xinhua/NAN)

AU Commission Chair congratulates Angola on 50 Years of Independence

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The Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has extended warm congratulations to the Government and people of the Republic of Angola on the occasion of the country’s 50th Independence Anniversary.

Describing the golden jubilee as a moment of pride for all Africans, Chairperson Youssouf celebrated Angola’s sovereignty, resilience, and remarkable progress over the past five decades. He paid tribute to the courage and unity of the Angolan people and recalled Angola’s historic contributions to the struggle against apartheid and colonialism, which advanced liberation across Southern Africa and the continent.

Read Also: FNB partners with WomenIN Festival 2025 to empower women, drive financial independence

“This milestone reflects Angola’s enduring commitment to freedom, unity, and continental progress,” said Chairperson Youssouf.

He commended Angola’s active role in regional integration and economic transformation, highlighting the country’s investments in infrastructure development and support for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as a driver of inclusive growth.

The Chairperson also noted the symbolic significance of the milestone as H.E. João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of Angola, currently serves as Chairperson of the African Union, lauding his leadership in promoting peace and stability in the Great Lakes region and supporting dialogue in Sudan.

The African Union Commission reaffirmed its solidarity with Angola, wishing the nation continued progress and prosperity as it looks forward to a peaceful, united, and thriving Africa, in line with the aspirations of Agenda 2063.

Hurra Coalition urges family law reform across Middle East, North Africa

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The Hurra Coalition, a network of 13 feminist and human rights organisations across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), has renewed its call for comprehensive reform of discriminatory family laws that deny women and girls equal rights in marriage, divorce, inheritance, and guardianship.

The appeal followed the Coalition’s annual meeting held in Istanbul, where members reviewed progress in their campaigns and outlined strategies around three key focus areas: ending child marriage, ensuring women’s financial rights, and protecting mothers’ custody and guardianship after divorce.

In her remarks, Dr. Dima Dabbous, Equality Now’s Regional Representative for MENA and a founding member of the Hurra Coalition, said the gathering reaffirmed their shared mission to eliminate gender-based legal discrimination.

“This meeting marks a critical moment to renew our commitment to reform laws that entrench inequality. Together, we are building a united civil front for women’s full citizenship and justice across the Arab world,” she said.

Child Marriage Remains a Major Concern

Coalition members spotlighted child marriage as one of the most damaging outcomes of discriminatory laws.
From Egypt to Palestine and Morocco, campaign leaders shared local initiatives that are shifting community attitudes and pressing for legislative change.

In Egypt, Hala Abdelkader, Executive Director of the Egyptian Foundation for Family Development, said grassroots workshops have begun changing perceptions around early marriage, helping communities see it as “a form of violence, not a social custom.”

Read Also: Why coalition chose ADC – Spokesperson

In Morocco, Houda Mouqer of Mains Libres urged the complete removal of exceptions that allow underage marriages, calling for the legal marriage age to be set at 18 without exceptions.

Similarly, in Palestine and Lebanon, activists stressed the need to close judicial loopholes and enforce existing decrees that set minimum marriage ages to protect girls from abuse and exploitation.

Fighting for Women’s Financial and Custody Rights

Discussions also focused on the economic vulnerability of women after divorce or widowhood. Activists from Lebanon, Tunisia, Iraq, Palestine, and Bahrain shared findings on systemic barriers that prevent women from accessing alimony, shared property, or fair compensation.

Legal expert Nasser Al Rayes called for a “comprehensive legal and social approach” to achieve economic justice for women, while Zahra Saleh Ibrahim of Bahrain’s legal community advocated for broader recognition of women’s unpaid labor through the principle of “Kadd and S‘aya,” which values women’s household contributions in family income.

Members also raised concerns about outdated child custody laws, urging that reforms prioritize the best interests of children while protecting mothers’ rights.

Youth Engagement and the Road Ahead

The Hurra Coalition is also investing in youth leadership, training young advocates from across the Arab region in legal and media advocacy. Rahaf Al Obaidat of Jordan’s Darbna Network said the initiative has expanded her perspective on gender equality, helping her view it as part of “a larger human struggle beyond national borders.”

Concluding the meeting, Naglaa Sarhan, Legal Adviser at Equality Now and Coordinator of the Hurra Coalition, said the alliance’s strength lies in its unity and shared purpose.

“Our diversity gives us power. Together, we are determined to reform family laws across the region to reflect equality and justice for all women and girls,” she said.

Troops rescue 86 victims, nab 29 terror suspects in Borno

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Troops of Joint Task Force North East Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), have rescued 86 kidnapped victims and foiled a terrorists’ ambush during coordinated operations in Borno.

This is contained in a statement on Monday by the Media Information Officer for OPHK, Lt.-Col. Sani Uba.

Uba said the troops of 135 Special Forces Battalion under Sector 2, OPHK, encountered Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists at Dutse Kura on Sunday while responding to reports of abductions along the Buratai–Kamuya Road.

He said the troops engaged the insurgents, pursued them towards Mangari, and overpowered them in a follow-up encounter that led to the destruction of 11 makeshift terrorists’ structures.

According to him eight victims, including men, women, and children, were rescued in the operation.

Read Also: Troops neutralise six terrorists, recover weapons

“Recovered items include an AK-47 rifle, five magazines with 73 rounds, four PKT ammunition belts, five civilian vehicles, five motorcycles, eight bicycles, and two logistics tricycles. The terrorists’ camp was destroyed after clearance operations,” he said.

Uba said that troops deployed at Mangada also apprehended 29 suspected terrorist logistics suppliers en route to Chilaria area of Borno.

He said suspects were nabbed with two pickup vans and a tricycle loaded with about 1,000 litres of petrol, engine oil, new gun truck tyres, medical consumables, and large quantities of foodstuff.

According to him, the Military High Command commended the troops for their gallantry and professionalism and urged them to sustain the tempo to deny terrorists freedom of action across the North East theatre. (NAN)

Troops rescue 23 kidnap victims, nab key terrorists’ collaborators – Army

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Troops of the Armed Forces of Nigeria have in the last 24 hours, rescued no fewer than 23 kidnap victims, apprehended key terror collaborators and destroyed illegal oil refineries in different parts of the country.

A credible source at Army Headquarters told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that troops had sustained momentum in ongoing counter-terrorism and internal security operations nationwide.

In the North East, he said the troops of Operation HADIN KAI apprehended three Chadian nationals at Gamboru Motor Park in Ngala, Borno, with 12 Starlink internet devices and a solar battery suspected to be logistics meant for Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists.

Also in Yobe, the source said the troops of 233 Battalion intercepted a tricycle conveying fuel and other supplies for insurgents.

According to him, troops of 222 Battalion under 21 Special Armoured Brigade repelled an ambush in Konduga, killing one terrorist and recovering a dane gun.

Read Also: Troops neutralise six terrorists, recover weapons

In the North Central, he said the troops under Operations Mesa and Whirl Stroke recorded major breakthroughs with the arrest of four suspected kidnappers at Akuna village in Kogi.

According to him, a combined team of troops and security agencies rescued 23 kidnap victims, including four Chinese nationals, from terrorists’ enclaves in Chigogo Hills, Kwara.

“Troops also foiled a kidnap attempt along the Chikara–Abaji road, rescuing one victim and evacuating two others with injuries, while two suspected terrorist leaders were arrested in Shendam, Plateau.

“In the South East, troops of Operation UDO KA raided a hotel in Ngor Okpala, Imo State, believed to be a kidnappers’ den.

“Two men claiming to be police officers were caught with two AK-47 rifles, 58 rounds of ammunition, and other items.

“Four hotel staff were also taken into custody,” he said.

In the Niger Delta, the sources said the troops of Operation Delta Safe destroyed illegal refining sites in Delta and Rivers States.

“At Ughoton in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta, troops seized 775 litres of illegally refined diesel hidden in a hotel and arrested the manager.

“Another 150 litres of kerosene was intercepted from suspected bunkerers in Rivers State, who have been handed to the NSCDC,” he added.

(NAN)